Business relations between Poland and the Republic of Korea.

Polish – Korean business relations stand at a very high level, which only confirms the fact that the Republic of Korea is the largest non-European investor in Poland. Conversely, Poland is South Korea’s largest trade and investment partner. Furthermore, it is worth pointing out that for more than a decade, relations between Poland and Korea have been described as a strategic partnership.

Issues of differences between Polish and South Korean legislation.

Polish – Korean business relations are constantly struggling with the issue of differences between generally applicable laws in Poland and South Korea. As legal regulations are an indispensable companion in Polish – Korean business relations, for example when concluding cross-border agreements, or when opening branches or representative offices of Korean enterprises in Poland, their mutual adjustment may prove to be a key issue in international relations.

The instrument for regulating relations between countries is international agreement. An international agreement is an act between two states that is governed by international law and is intended to pursue political objectives, reduce barriers to exports, protect interests in competition abroad, strengthen the rule of law in partner countries, protect human rights, etc. An international agreement is defined as an understanding between two entities regardless of whether it is included in one or more documents, regardless of its name (e.g. treaty, treaty, convention, pact, agreement, protocol, declaration, final act of a conference, concordat, etc.) and regardless of whether it is concluded on behalf of a country, a government or a minister in charge of the relevant administrative department. International agreements also often relate to broad areas of cooperation between the countries concerned, such as trade, cooperation or development in the broadest sense.

Agreements between Poland and Republic of Korea.

The result of the long-standing cooperation between Poland and the Republic of Korea over the years is, among other things, the creation of numerous international agreements that regulate, facilitate and expand cooperation, and these include:

• Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments.
• Convention between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on air communications.
• The Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea.
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on scientific and technological cooperation.
• Agreement in the form of exchange of notes between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the abolition of the visa requirement.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on mutual recognition of international and exchange of national driving licences.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters.
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on co-operation in the field of tourism.
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on economic cooperation.
• The Agreement on social security between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Korea.
• The Administrative Agreement on the application of the Agreement on social security between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Korea.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the protection of military classified information.
• Agreement between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the field of defence.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the ‘Visit and Work’ Programme.
• Agreement in the form of an exchange of notes between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the amendment of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Republic of Korea on Air Transport.

Despite the numerous agreements concluded between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Korea, it should always be remembered that they apply only within the subject matter and scope in which they were concluded. Any other issues that may arise in the course of the stay of Korean individuals and companies in Poland and their cooperation with Polish entities will be governed by other regulations, be they based on international law or on national law.